Page 42 of Sweet Addiction
I fight the urge to scream but only because I think that might give him some sick satisfaction. If this is a test of wills, I will not let him win. Instead, I follow him up the open stairs to the loft and stop, my eyes widening. It’s spectacular. The cabin is an A-frame that overlooks the creek, with a balcony offering what has to be the prettiest view in Kroydon Hills. “Wow.”
The word is whispered, but Rome hears it and smiles. “It’s the whole reason I bought this place.”
“I guess I can see why,” I murmur. “But it still needs another bedroom.”
“I’ll get right on that, sweetheart.”
“Don’t,” I snap. “Don’t call me that.”
“What—”
I put my hand up. “No. My dad calls my mom that. You will not call me that. Seriously, Rome, I don’t know how we’re pulling this off, but thanks to Asher, my entire family already knows and believes it. And if we fuck this up now, I’ll never hear the end of it. It will be one more thing they think I flitted through.” I open the door to the balcony and step outside. “It’s bad enough that when this little agreement runs its course, they’re already going to be ready to tell me I jumped in too quickly, didn’t think it through, and jumped out like I always do.”
“I’ll take the heat for the breakup.” He sighs. I’m too busy watching the way the ice hits the creek to see the action, but I hear it and him as he walks out behind me. “Everyone will believe I fucked it up. That doesn’t have to be on you.”
I keep myself under the covered area of the porch, careful not to get wet and more careful not to make eye contact with the devil right now. I don’t want to soften. Don’t want to feel... anything for him, least of all understanding. Not when he’s blackmailing me into this shitstorm. “How are we going to do this then?”
“Carefully and publicly. We need to be seen together. We need buy-in. People need to believe us. We need to date, Dillan.”
I throw my hands up in frustration as I spin on him, slipping, just like I tried not to do. Damn it. Rome’s big hands immediately wrap around me, holding me still and safe against him, and it’s like a hit of the sandalwood scent goes right to my veins. I lift my chin and look up and up and freaking up at his tall frame, leaving me feeling delicate and fragile in his arms, and goddammit, that pisses me off.
“I need rules, Rome. Expectations. Like dates are fine, but no social media. If people see us, fine. But I will not be posting about anything. That’s a hard no.”
“I don’t even run my own social media accounts. I’m not even sure what I have, so no, you don’t need to post on social media,” he assures me, like that helps. It doesn’t.
“I need...” My voice cracks, and I try to hide the nerves as they claw at every inch of my psyche. “I need you to tell me why I’m doing this. And before you say it, I know why I’m doing it, so you don’t out me. What I don’t know is why you need me to do this. So how about you fill me in?”
He drops his hands and takes a step back. “The why doesn’t matter. What matters is that everyone believes us.”
“And what exactly are we saying when we lie to our family and friends?” I push him because every single time I think about lying to the people I care about, I want to break out in hives. I’m half surprised I haven’t already. It wouldn’t be the first time.
“I don’t know, Dillan. You’re the storyteller. Tell me a story.” He takes a step closer and slides his hand down to my hip. “But could you please do it inside, where I’m not freezing my balls off and a little concerned your clumsy ass will slip on the ice and fall off the balcony?”
“Nice to know you don’t want me to die,” I grumble as I move around him and back inside, where I’m once again confronted with what has to be a California king-sized bed. It’s massive really, but it’s still only one bed.
“What’s the matter, Ryan? You worried you can’t trust yourself to sleep in the same bed as me?” His grin is smug and sexy, and I hate it.
“Yup.” I smile back. “I don’t trust that I won’t stab you in your sleep. But a girl can dream.” I tip my suitcase over on its side, unzip it, and drop to my knees. I know I packed my toiletry bag in here somewhere.
“You look pretty on your knees, princess.”
“Enjoy it now, psycho. It’s the only time you’re going to see me like this. You had your chance.” Shit. I didn’t mean to let that slip out. Luckily, I find my shampoo and conditioner right under my toiletry bag and pajamas and push past Rome for the en suite bathroom. Unluckily, the door I open is the walk-in closet, not the bathroom, and when I turn around, the big dumbass is smiling and pointing to the door next to the one I chose.
“I did make some space in the closet for your stuff.”
“I won’t be here that long,” I grumble, slamming the bathroom door and looking at myself in the mirror, hating the reflection I see staring back at me.
“Two months, Dillan,” Rome announces loudly from the other side of the door, and the headache that’s been forming since he walked into my shop this morning hits with a fucking vengeance.
I’m not sure how much time passes before I walk back into the bedroom, praying the asshole would be downstairs, but apparently, it’s not enough because the devil disguised as the hottest man I’ve ever laid my eyes on is sitting on the massive bed. The beautiful blue duvet is rumpled by his crossed ankles, and he’s lost the sweats and is lying there in tight black boxer briefs, his quad muscles brilliantly on display along with every inch of his bare chest. Every inked muscle... Oh. Fuck. No.
“I swear to God, Rome, if you do not put clothes on, I’ll out myself just to avoid all this. I’m not sleeping next to you naked.” And why the hell does that thought leave my heart racing?
“I get hot, and it wouldn’t be the first time.” Oh, this son of a bitch.
I walk over to the glass doors and throw them open, then spin around like a wild woman. “There. It’ll cool down. Now put on clothes.” I grab his sweats off the floor and throw them at his face and lift my head to the ceiling, praying for strength. Not sure if it’s to survive this or to kill him, but either way, I need to be stronger than I am. “You’re really going to make me sleep in that bed... With you?”
“It’s a big bed.” He shrugs on his sweats and his tee, but it doesn’t help.
